Love of Christ!

For Wednesday, June 30, 2021

Ephesians 3:19 NLT: “May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”

Have you experienced the love of Christ? Personally experienced it? The Bible says to ask and it will be given; seek and you find; knock and the door will be opened. If you need a spiritual assist in how your life is going, don’t just lament over the situation. Bring it to the Lord. Let it become a habit!

The Lord stands ready to pour out everlasting lovingkindness when we ask, seek and knock!

Blessings to all today!

Pastor Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship, 3249 30th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406

Psalms 144 - God's Love

June 4, 2018 Monday Message:

“Lord, what are human beings that you care for them, mere mortals that you think of them?” Psalms 144:3 NIV

There is only one explanation: “Love!” The children’s song says, “Jesus loves me,” and it’s true! John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world…,” and it’s true too.

David didn’t have either of these phrases as he penned Psalm 144. But he did have first-hand experience with God’s call on his life, and with God’s care and essential protection.

A great many evil men were out to get David, and yet he always emerged unscathed. The Bible tells stories of great battles and mighty warriors, and that may have been how these things were settled, but it was all orchestrated by God’s love. David had an appointment with God – He was to be king of Israel. God had selected a man after his own heart for this job, and he was not about to be disappointed. (Funny how things always seem to wind up going God’s way!)

When God created Adam and Eve and right away the train went off the tracks, it might have been easier to just end the experiment. No more humans; they just didn’t work out. But that’s not figuring God’s love into the equation. God doesn’t want to lose anyone, and his desire is that all sinful humans would repent and return to him.

Remember, God so loved the world!

Norton Lawellin

Jesus in the City Fellowship meets next Sunday, June 10, 2018, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406, 10:30 AM. Pastor Pilla opens up Hebrews 4.

Psalms 90 - Restoration

April 24, 2017 Monday Message:

“Fill us each morning with your constant love, so that we may sing and be glad all our life” Psalms 90:14 GNT

Interestingly, Psalm 90 is credited to Moses. We don’t know if Moses actually wrote these words or if scholars took thoughts and phrases from the Pentateuch, the first 5 books of the Bible, and later assembled this prayer. There was no alphabetic script in Moses’ day.

But the theme is like many other Psalms. God’s priority in the Israelites’ lives had slipped – they are far from God, so God is withholding protection of Israel, most likely from the Babylonians.

Then the Jews wake up – they realize that they need to return to God, get closer to God. They’ve been trying to honor God, and the question of the day is, “How much longer, God, will your anger last? Have pity, O Lord, on your servants!” Psalms 90:13

Surprisingly, this story from Moses over 3,000 years ago is applicable today. Every day you can turn on the news and observe people in a lot of trouble because they’re far from God. The good news is when someone returns to God, and their life turns around. God is in the restoration business.

I checked a number of Bible translations, and God’s love for us is described as constant, faithful, satisfying, steadfast and unfailing. The Hebrew word is “hesed,” sometimes translated, “everlasting lovingkindness.”

If only we could love God as much as He loves us.

Norton Lawellin

Let’s worship together! Jesus in the City Fellowship gathers Sunday, April 30, 2017, at the Akina Church, 3249 30^th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55406, 10:30 AM. Jesus cooks breakfast for the disciples on the beach, and teaches about faith and commitment. I’ll have the fish! See you at church!

His Love Endures Forever

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Nov. 24, 2014 Monday Message:

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His Love endures forever.” Psalms 136:1 NIV

This Thursday, Nov. 27, we celebrate Thanksgiving in the US. Psalm 136 is about giving thanks to God for a variety of things. It’s sung responsively, with the leader detailing many good things about our God, and the congregation responding, “His love endures forever.”

In Jewish tradition, this psalm is called ‘The Great Hallel,’ the supreme praise & worship song about the awesome nature of God.

In a word-for-word translation, “Give thanks,” would read, “Give God a hand!” Not like applause, but it means to worship with gusto, hands in the air, dancing, shouting – all-in praise for our Lord, just like David! And “Lord” is actually God’s covenant name, the name he said to use when he agreed to be our God and we agreed to be his people.

“His love” is hesed, God’s unconditional love for us, which the King James translates as “everlasting lovingkindness.”

How long is “forever?” Eternal is a good answer. But most people look at “forever” and “eternity” as moving forward in time, forever into the future. But the Bible’s “forever” extends in both directions - past, present and future. God wanted to redeem you before you were even born. His desire is that no one would perish.

Have a good Thanksgiving, a great holiday, thank God and remember his everlasting lovingkindness! His love endures forever!

Norton Lawellin

Every Sunday Jesus in the City Fellowship (JICF) gathers at 10 a.m. in the North end (gym) of the Oliver Ministry Building, 2647 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis. This week, Nov. 30, Pastor Michael Pilla begins our Advent journey.